Whitefish, Montana

Whitefish, Montana

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Travel, Weekend, Outdoor adventures

Over the Fourth of July weekend we rented a three bedroom condo in Whitefish, MT with some friends. Although we had visited Whitefish a couple times in the past on our way to Glacier National Park, we had never spent any significant time there. We realized once we were there the four days we had planned to be there was not nearly enough time to enjoy all Whitefish, MT had to offer. During our time there we spent a morning hiking up Big Mountain, and then riding the gondola back down, another morning enjoying the alpine slides and chairlift, an afternoon swimming in Whitefish Lake, a couple dinners in downtown Whitefish and an afternoon at Stumptown Marketplace. 

Glacier National Park with kids

Glacier National Park with kids

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Travel, Outdoor adventures, Parenting

Boasting over 700 miles in trails, Glacier National Park is one of my all time favorite places to hike. Over the Fourth of July weekend we visited the park with some of our friends and our three small children under the age of five. Rather than our usual 8-10 mile hikes we enjoyed a couple easier hikes, but there was no shortage of beautiful scenery or fun. On our first day we went to Logan's Pass and hiked the Hidden Lake trail. Logan's Pass is a mountain goat research area and the hike was visually diverse enough to keep everyone interested. There were streams, wildflowers, mountain goats, beautiful vistas and plenty of rocks to pick up along the trail. 

A day trip to Port Townsend

A day trip to Port Townsend

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Weekend, Seattle

Over Father's Day weekend we spent a day in Port Townsend. The goal for the day was pretty simple; grab a slice of pizza from Waterfront Pizza and get an ice cream cone from Elevated Ice Cream. In reality, the day was far more exciting than that. We enjoyed a scenic ferry ride to Southworth, a pretty drive to Port Townsend and most importantly a fun day with each other. We gave Cameron his Father's Day cards will we were picnicking on the beach and before Cameron had the chance to open Jasper's card Jasper had started chewing on it. A soggy card, sunshine and Jasper's first boat ride were just some of the highlights of our day together. 

Blanca Lake

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Weekend, Outdoor adventures, Seattle

To celebrate our ten year anniversary, we took the day off and went hiking to Blanca Lake. We had never been here before so it seemed like a fitting way to celebrate both our love for each other and the outdoors. The weather was glorious, the crowds were nonexistent and my parents were kind enough to watch Jasper so we could spend time together just the two of us. It is really difficult to wrap my head around the fact that we have been married for ten years. In some ways, the time has flown by and in other ways it feels as though we have always been married. He is my everything and has given me a life full of adventure, two beautiful children I adore and more love than I ever thought possible. He is a true partner in every sense of the word. He works tirelessly for the betterment of others and is slow to anger, patient, kind and loving. Even after all these years seeing his face makes me smile, his presence is reassuring and he still makes my heart skip a beat. 

First haircut

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Parenting, Seattle

I recently took Jasper to Kid's Club at University Village for his first professional haircut. Upon arrival, I was instantly impressed with the salon's adorable ambience. I could have taken him anywhere to get his haircut, but this little space was geared specifically for children and had the most adorable little cars for them to sit in while they got their haircut. In the end, I was most appreciative of the ease in making an appointment (I was able to walk in and get an appointment in twenty minutes), their service and patience once Jasper started to freak out. Clearly they have dealt with upset children before and have lots of practice with both easy and hard little clients As part of their "First Haircut" package you will receive a souvenir photo along with some hair clippings. Although he was not happy for his "after" photo at the end, I will always remember how adorable and grown up he looked with his cape sitting in his very own taxi cab. There are so many emotions being a mother, but seeing your child learn and grow and become their own little person is endlessly rewarding!

Dinner with a view at Anthony's

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Food

Living in Seattle, we are spoiled to be surrounded not only by water, but fresh seafood galore. I realize this might be a novelty for many, but for us it is a common occurrence to enjoy a meal water side. One of our favorite places to go for happy hour on a Friday evening is Anthony's Homeport in Shilshoe Bay. Our chosen place to eat is out on their back deck which provides beautiful views and delicious food. A few of our favorite happy hour eats are their mussels and frites and their hamburger. They also offer a Sunset Supper where for $21.95 you can enjoy a four course dinner before 6pm. 

Backpacking at Snow Lake

Backpacking at Snow Lake

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Outdoor adventures, Weekend

As much as I crave sleep, I love adventure more. The handful of times my parents have watched Jasper for the night I dream about getting massive amounts of sleep, but the reality is I would rather get a restless night under the stars and wake up to a beautiful lake. A couple weeks ago Cameron and I hiked up to Snow Lake and spent a peaceful evening lakeside. Despite the gorgeous weather, we were surprised and delighted to only see a few other tents dot the shoreline.

In my opinion, these photos don't even do it justice, the beauty of the evening and morning light at Snow Lake is unparalleled and one of the main reasons I love backpacking in. During the day, the light is bright and the landscape is flat, but throughout the evening the lake becomes more and more stunning. 

Picnic season

Picnic season

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting

Picnic season is upon us and I couldn't be more pumped. A few months ago I purchased a large picnic blanket from Costco and deemed it "the wisest $20 I have ever spent". Since then, I have found ample excuses to pull it out and am happy to report I have used it on an almost daily basis. As soon as it gets warm enough to sit outside my preferred place is to be outside.

In the Summer, one of my favorite things to do is meet Cameron after work and go on a picnic. Even though it takes a little extra work to pack a picnic there is something inherently festive about preparing and loading up a picnic basket. On those nights when things get to hectic we like to grab something on our way to the park. Either way, the time spent together as a family enjoying the warm Summer air is the thing I daydream the most about on the coldest and dreariest of Winter days in the PNW. 

Granite Mountain

Granite Mountain

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting, Outdoor adventures, Weekend

All these beautiful June Saturdays have been perfect for making use of our new infant carrier. This past weekend we visited Granite Mountain and enjoyed spectacular views and gorgeous weather. The only disappointing thing was all the bear grass had already died for the Summer due to the hot weather we have been experiencing. A stark contrast to last year when it was in abundance. 

When the weather is good we usually head to the mountains, but what is your favorite thing to do on a sunny Saturday?

Pelindaba Lavender Farm

Pelindaba Lavender Farm

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Weekend, Travel

On San Juan Island there exists a beautiful lavender farm called Pelindaba Lavender. Although we visited before the lavender was in full bloom, we still enjoyed spending a quiet morning there.  We walked the cutting field and demonstration garden, had a picnic, perused the gift shop and toured their farm to learn about their process and sustainable practices. Typically, the lavender is in full bloom in July which makes me excited to visit again this Summer. We have enjoyed picking up products from their Friday Harbor and LaConner shop for several years now, so it was fun to see the farm where the lavender comes from. Some of our favorite products are their lavender chocolate sauce, lemon lavender sorbet and lavender honey.

Hiking to Snow Lake

Hiking to Snow Lake

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Weekend, Outdoor adventures, Parenting

For you long time readers, you know we like to hike...A LOT! So when Jasper came along, it was pretty much a given we would invest in a hiking pack once he was big enough. We were ecstatic when upon placing him in the carrier for the first time he literally laughed and squealed with delight. Hiking must be in his blood! Riding in the carrier allows him to be up high and see everything from a different vantage point than his everyday life. I can tell Jasper feels like a big deal in his carrier and he really seems to enjoy the view.

Strawberry Picking at Harvold's Berry Farm

Strawberry Picking at Harvold's Berry Farm

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Parenting, Food

This time of year I always look forward to going strawberry picking at Harvold's Berry Farm. This year, I was especially looking forward to taking Jasper on his first trip berry picking.  Even though Jasper was too little to pick any berries he made an evasive maneuver while we were getting our photo taken and snagged his very own berry to eat. Picking strawberries can be back breaking work, but those delicious berries are well worth the effort. It also makes you realize just how subpar those grocery store strawberries can be. I appreciate knowing where my food came from and I hope that one day Jasper likes picking berries as much as I did as a child. 

Note: Due to the unseasonably warm weather we have been experiencing all of the berries are 2-3 weeks early this year. 

Earthbox Inn

Earthbox Inn

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Travel, Weekend

Over Memorial Day weekend, we stayed at the Earthbox Inn on Friday Harbor. Earthbox Inn is centrally located in town and only four blocks from the ferry terminal. It is close enough you could walk onto the ferry and enjoy a car free vacation as you walk or cruise around town on one of their free bikes. Earthbox Inn is an old motel which has been refurbished into a modern, chic, laid back place to rest your head. Even though we stayed over a holiday weekend, we found our room to be quiet and our bed to be among some of the comfiest we have ever slept in. 

A day at the zoo

A day at the zoo

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting

A few weeks ago we took Jasper to the zoo for the first time. Even though he is still quite young, we were excited to see him interact with the animals and check this off our list of "firsts". Overall, it was a successful first trip to the zoo. We were able to see a fair amount of animals, it was not too hot or cold outside and Jasper even took a nap for part of our time there. The only snag in the day was not having cash to feed the giraffes. Will someone please explain to me why I need to pay to feed the giraffes after I already paid an entrance fee into the zoo? Lame. Hands down the penguins were by far all our favorites. We stood at the glass and watched them dive down time and time again. Other interesting tidbits from the day were the new tiger exhibit (they are truly stunning creatures in person) and I will never forget the bear who appeared to be smiling. In celebration of Jasper's first trip to the zoo we had to pick up some sort of souvenir, after much deliberation (on my part) I selected a copy of Goodnight Gorilla. We look forward to experiencing more animal encounters with Jasper, but preferably in their more natural habit- the wild. 

A night away

A night away

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Parenting

A couple weekends ago our son had his first sleep over at my parent's house. In preparation for his first night away I eagerly stocked his overnight bag with everything necessary to take care of him for a solid week. Then I called my mother and meticulously went over a rough schedule with her. Since my mother has successfully raised four children and helped raise several subsequent grandchildren, all of this was more about giving me piece of mind then out of necessity. As I placed his elephant slippers and bathrobe in his bag I was a mix of emotions. I was worried about our first night away from each other and yet I was really looking forward to it. I wasn't afraid anything bad would happen, rather I knew how much I would miss him. 

Spring time at Pike Place Market

Spring time at Pike Place Market

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

On any given day, Pike Place Market is swarming with tourists. However, I always manage to walk away feeling inspired by its endless array of sights, sounds and colors. When I visit Pike Place Market, I like to treat to myself to a bunch of fresh flowers for our home. There usually are a large array of bouquets to choose from for five, ten or fifteen dollars. I realize some people view fresh flowers as a waste of money, but the amount of joy they provide me far surpasses their monetary cost. The fresher the flowers the longer they will last, a little tip is to ask what they received on that particular day.

Long weekend in Long Beach

Long weekend in Long Beach

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Travel, Weekend

Last year over Mother's Day weekend we stayed at the Adrift Hotel in Long Beach, WA with my parents. We had so much fun we decided to head back and stay at their sister property Inn at Discovery Coast. Inn at Discovery Coast is a smaller, more intimate hotel, closer to the beach and a tad more luxurious. We stayed in the top corner rooms which had large jetted tubs, unobstructed ocean views and thoughtful touches such as roses and chocolate on your pillow. We spent a majority of out time outdoors riding along the Discovery Trail, eating leisurely meals at the Pickled Fish and enjoying the view.

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